To Adapt or Die
by TheSilverboar
Summary: Three. That was all Duncan was able to find in his last sweep for recruits to stop the coming blight. A banished Dwarven princess, a human noble who barely escaped a massacre, and a city elf who would have otherwise hung for the crime of defending his wife. Maker pray that they are what Ferelden, and all of Thedas, need in the coming days.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: You'll notice I deleted several of my older stories along with posting this new one. I posted this new one because I wanted to have a story for each of the current Dragon Age games. I deleted the old ones because I was looking back over them and I realized I really doubt I'll ever come back to them. Most of those were my first flailing attempts at stories which didn't have any real inspiration beyond those first few chapters, were adopted first chapters from other writers who have left the site, or similar situations. I don't plan to post any more new stories (apart from any that win in the Percy Jackson Poll currently up) until I complete more of the ones I already have started.**

To adapt or die

Chapter 1

-Serada Aeducan-

Snarling, Serada paced back and forth in her cell, her arms and armor already taken away as she was left with only a basic shirt and breeches. Down the hall, she heard the door swing open and the familiar clanking steps of her second, Gorim as the loyal knight approached, "My Lady," he bowed his head, eyes brimming with shame and outrage, "I…I would have come sooner had they allowed it. How are you?"

"I'm furious!" she seethed, "Triam was a fucking bastard but he was still my brother, and a good field commander that Orzammar had need of. And Bhelen? That little shit stain is apparently more Orlesian than Dwarf. I look forward to coming before the Assembly and see his plot crumble around him."

Gorim winced and clutched at the bars to her cell, "My Lady, I have bad news. The assembly _isn't_ going to call for you. Bhelen has already taken Triam's place in the assembly and introduced a motion to have you condemned immediately and it easily passed. He had fully over half of the assembly ready to vote on something that completely goes against tradition and justice! He must have been making deals and alliances for months…if not years."

"That rat faced bastard!" Serada scowled and kicked at the wall of her cell, "He's no dwarf! He's nothing but a masked faced Orlesian! He can't win anything through is own honor or merits, so he has to backstab, bribe, and betray!"

"Some of the other lords, Especially Harrowmont, are suspicious of Bhelen's instant rise to power. They're rallying but far too slowly. The assembly has already sentenced both of us." Gorim seemed to slump, his grip on the bars slacking.

"Both of us? Oh Gorim, not you too." Serada's anger faded slightly as she felt grief at her oldest companion and friend being punished as well, all for his loyalty to her.

"My knighthood is to be stripped, my name torn from the family records…but I will be allowed to make some sort of life for myself on the surface. Lord Harrowmont moved for a similar sort of exile for you but Bhelen's supporters overruled him. You are to be sealed in the deep roads…to fight darkspawn until you are overwhelmed and killed."

"That bastard." Serada seethed, a single tear falling for the loss of her family, "May the stone always reject him, and the ancestors never grant him their favor."

"There's more." Gorim leaned close, his voice growing softer so as to prevent any spies from listening in "Your father has suddenly taken ill. The official story is that he could not stand to lose two of his children at once. Many who voted against this betrayal of you and justice think poison is a far more likely culprit. Harrowmont is attending him in an attempt to restore his health and gave me permission to come speak with you, and to pass on some information. Duncan and the Grey Wardens are still in the Deep roads, in tunnels that connect to the ones you'll be sealed into! If you can survive long enough to find the Grey Wardens, you could likely escape with Duncan."

"That…that could work." Serada nodded, "The Grey Wardens take anyone from any walk of life or history so long as they can and will fight." She remembered reading about that in the Shaperate, "They mentioned a blight was going on topside. If I fight well enough in the blight, by the Ancestors if I manage to kill the Archdemon, then I may earn enough favor to come back and see Bhelen ruined for this."

"I asked to be sent with you, to fight at your side, but Bhelen's pet nobles would not hear of it. Safer as it may be on the surface, I would throw that all away to go down this dark path at your side." Gorim swore to her, giving what may be the last salute she ever receives from her stalwart companion.

"They're ready for you now." The cell keeper grunts, shoving Gorim aside as he unlocked her cell and drug her away. At the barrier doors, Lord Harrowmont was waiting.

"Having been found guilty of fratricide by the Assembly of Orzammar, you are hereby sentenced to exile and death. Your name is, from this point forward, stripped from the records. You are no longer a person, nor even a memory." The aged noble spoke somberly and Serada could see the regret in his eyes at having to do this, how the man wished it wasn't so. "You are to be cast into the deep roads, with only sword and shield, there to redeem your life by fighting the enemies of Orzammar until your death. Do you have anything to say until the sentence is carried out?"

"I am innocent." Serada rose up to her full height, "And Bhelen will pay for his crimes. May the ancestors never favor him, and foes prosper."

"I understand your anger. You should have been allowed to defend yourself and had I the power to stop this, I would. Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't do this, for your father's sake."

"I swear to you Lord Harrowmont." She looked her godfather dead in the eye, "I am innocent of what Bhelen has accused me of."

"I believe you." Harrowmont told her, undoing the shackles as he handed over a sword and shield "Believe me, I will spend the rest of my days making sure Bhelen does not get away with this." As he placed her weapons in her hands, Harrowmont leaned in closer and whispered "There is a chest a short way down the tunnel, hidden behind a fallen pillar. I placed armor in there for you, at your fathers request." Harrowmont turned to the jailer who was standing back aways "Open the door for the condemned to walk through. And Serada, may the stone catch you when you fall."

She kept her head held high as she entered the desolate Deep roads, the giant metal doors slamming shut behind her. The armor was found easily enough and fit well, even if it wasn't as grand as her great grandfather's armor, much the same could be said for her new sword and shield. The chest from Harrowmont even had a map to follow to find which tunnels the Grey Wardens were supposed to be in.

"Well, well, well, what have we here boys?" a crude voice asked as she passed through a tunnel, arriving at one of the many crossroads of the Deep Roads, a gang of casteless thugs, likely Carta, stepping from the shadows with leers on their faces, "It seems our good friend Bhelen was right that we'll find a pretty little thing all alone down here!" Face set in stone, Serada reading her weapons, knowing this fight might be a problem. She knew at her best she could likely best this group of Carta thugs. The issue was that she was kept in that cell for some time without food or water so she was weaker than she should be, and they were many. Another plot of Bhelen's no doubt, wanting to cut off any lose ends quickly just in case.

"Just try it nug fucker." Serada snarled, back against the wall, "You'll meet your ancestors for the attempt!"

"Get her!" the leader of the castles band shouted as they charged. Serada shouted back and raised her shield, but was forced to drop both it and her weapon as the ground began shaking, the stone cracking as the cave floor bellow their feet split, dropping her and the castles into a dark abyss. The wind whipped around her as she plummeted, the carta nugs screaming in fear as they fell with her. There was the frequent sound of flesh striking stone as one hit the walls or a jutting rock, their broken bodies now falling silently.

Then, just as suddenly as her falling began, it all came to a stop as she found herself floating, the castles continuing their plummet into oblivion. Around her were veins of pure lyrium pulsing brightly, giving off a purer stone call than any she had ever heard. With the song, despite its lack of words, she felt knowledge. She knew of the Titans, the first ancestors, and their role in shaping Thedas. How there was a war where many were slain, and the rest were forced into slumber. How a tear in the veil in Ferelden over the past two centuries had begun waking this Titan who has observed what has been going on. She was chosen now, an emissary of the Titans to stop the Darkspawn and begin saving the Dwarven people.

A branch of lyrium extended and touched her hand as energy rushed into her, granting her the ancient blessings that the Titans had once bestowed upon her people, the 'magic' of dwarves. Eyes blazing with determination, Serada shaped the earth beneath her feet and shot forward, she still had to find the Grey Wardens.


	2. Chapter 2

To Adapt or Die

Chapter 2

-Aeden Cousland-

Fire. Everything around him was burning, crumbling apart in a hateful blaze. His home, his friends, and his family were all only fuel for the pyre that was his life. Aeden's eyes burned with equal fury as he stalked out of the Highever treasury. He had managed to secure the Shield of Highever and the sword of the Couslands as well as all the coin he could carry. In his pockets he also had a locket from Orianna's neck, one containing a miniature portrait of Fergus with his wife and child. Aeden knew his brother would want it. At his side was his mother, the woman fighting through her grief through sheer determination to find his father.

"There they are!" a new wave of Howe's men shout, founding the corner and spotting them, "For Lord Howe!" not waiting for his mother or the soldiers they had managed to find and rally, Aeden charged the traitorous bastards. In each hand he held a wicked axe, their edges dripping with the blood of Howe's men that had already dared to cross blades with him. Arrows came flying over his shoulder as his mother led their archers to fire at Howe's men, just as the traitors fired their own arrows at Aeden. He ignored each shaft as they speared into his body, continuing his charge at the now terrified soldiers. He hacked at them with his axes, ignoring each strike they landed on him. "Sweet maker, what are you?!" the leader of the group scurried away in fear as Aeden killed the last of his allies.

"A Cousland!" Aeden's axe split the man's skull, leaving the body to go limp.

"Aeden, hold still." His mother hurried over and frowned at him as she pulled the arrows from his body, bandaging each wound as best she could with what they had to stop the bleeding. "I know you cannot feel pain Aeden, but must you fight so recklessly?" at her side, his loyal Mabari, Dane, looked up at him and whined in concern.

"For you and our home mother? Without any hesitation." He swore to her, reclaiming his axes and a decent greatsword from the dead Howe soldiers. Looking at their allies who were in awe at seeing him shrug off the injuries he had, "Alright you lazy dogs! Are you just going to let these Amaranthine dogs shit all over your home?!"

"NO!" the soldiers were rallied. Highever ever fought behind a Cousland and a Cousland would always lead from the front. They continued to carve their path through Howe's men, fighting to try and find his father, the Teryn of Highever.

"Hold that door you sorry bastards!" the voice of Ser Gilmore, Aeden's closest childhood friend shouted from inside the throne room ahead, "I swear by the Maker and Andraste herself if any of you louts let those whoresons in here I'll haunt your sorry carcasses!" Bursting through the door, Aeden saw Ser Gilmore standing by the door with the meager force he still had left at his disposal. "Lady Cousland!" Ser Gilmore saw them and looked relieved beyond measure "Aeden! Thank the maker. Where is the Lord Teryn?"

"We hoped he would be here with you." Aeden frowned before looking at the door that led outside to the main courtyard and the gates, the door buckling as the rest of Howe's men fought to get inside. "Men, help barricade that door!" he ordered the force he and his mother had rallied, the soldiers running to aide their fellows. "Where are those wardens? Are they part of the attack?"

"Given that they're the reason we still have the throne room I'd say no." Ser Gilmore informed them, "Warden Duncan and recruit Aeducan helped kill the Howe men who were already inside while Warden mage Lavellan did some healing spells to get us on our feet. They went to go find the Lord Teryn to protect him after that while we've been trying to hold the door."

"We need to find Bryce." His mother spoke up earnestly, "I've already lost Oriana and little Oren, even my friend Lady Leandra is gone. I won't lose your father too."

"You both go." Ser Gilmore ordered only for Dane to bark indignantly "Fine, you three go find the Lord Teryn. We'll hold the door as long as we can to give you time to find him and slip out through one of the escape tunnels."

"Ser Gilmore, we can't just leave you!" Aeden stared at his best friend in shocked horror.

"You can and you will Aeden." Gilmore readied his blade, "Aeden…you're my best friend too as well as my liege. Your family have given me everything, have given the people of Highever everything! I refuse to let these bastards get the Couslands and if my life buys you enough time to escape then so be it! For Highever!" Aeden felt his mother pulling him away and his last sight of his oldest friend was the man rallying their forces, "For the Couslands!"

Closing his eyes, Aeden sent a silent prayer to the Maker for his friend before hurrying alongside his mother as they ran off, killing the few Howe forces they still came across till they entered the Kitchens where an escape tunnel was hidden in the larder. Inside was his father, laying on the cobblestone floor with a warden Aeden recognized from earlier that day doing what he could to try and heal him.

"Father!" Aeden rushed over, his mother and Dane at his side.

"Pup, Eleanor." His father reached out a shaky hand only to cough out more blood.

"You need to stay still!" the warden, a Dalish judging by the facial tattoos, urged the Teryn of Highever "I'm not the best healer to begin with and you've lost so much blood."

"Do you have any potions?" Aeden demanded from the warden, seeing the man straining to heal the grievous wound at his father's stomach, blood seeping out steadily.

"We ran out before even getting to Highever." The warden mage shook his head, eyes drooping as the man's healing spell flickered, the healer likely running out of mana. Hearing a bark from Dane, Aeden turned to the door to see Duncan and the Dwarf woman who had been introduced as recruit Aeducan.

"We have to move, there's not much time." Duncan was wide eyed and clearly tired from fighting so much after a likely exhausting journey, "Howe's forces are almost inside the keep and I wasn't able to find the Arl himself."

"I can't do any more for this wound." Lavellan looked close to tears at not being able to save his father, someone who had welcomed the wardens into his home with open arms, "I'm sorry."

"Just…" his father coughed more blood "Get my wife and my son out of here safely. Fergus, he and the king must know, Howe can't get away with this!"

"You have my word." Duncan said seriously, "I will see them both safely to Ostagar."

"Pup, find your brother, protect your mother." Aeden's father clutched his hand tightly as his mother sobbed into her husband's other hand, "Promise me."

"I promise father." Aeden didn't try to fight his own tears as he looked his dying father in the eyes.

"Well," his father gave a weak laugh "you did say you wanted to join the wardens, I guess this is your chance." In the distance they heard the front doors finally shatter as Howe's men met the remainder of the Highever forces.

"If we go it has to be now!" Duncan ordered as Aeden's mother hurried over and revealed the secret exit, "Thank you my lady, now we must move!"

"No, I'm staying." His mother refused, straightening as she checked her quiver, "I would only slow you down. I can stay and fight, give you as much time as I can."

"Mother!" Aeden protested, grabbing her shoulders Dane whining at his side, "I can't lose you! Not like I lost everyone else!"

"Oh my darling boy." Eleanor Cousland leaned down and kissed his forehead lovingly, "A parent's duty is to their children always. Know that I love you and Fergus, and that I always will, even after I'm gone." Giving him one last smile, and Dane a rub between his ears, she turned to Warden Duncan, her gaze hardening, "Protect my boy Duncan."

"I will my lady." Duncan nodded, pulling Aeden with him as Aeden's tears continued to fall. His last sight was of his mother knocking an arrow and aiming it at the door as she stood over his father before the entrances was sealed behind them. His body never felt pain, his heart was far different.


	3. Chapter 3

To Adapt or Die

Chapter 3

-Darrian Tabris-

Shooting up with a gasp, Darrian held a hand to his forehead, feeling the caked blood he knew would stand out against his brilliant white shock of hair. "Darrian!" Soris was kneeling at his side, a few feet away a human in armor was helping up a dwarven women, Darrian was able to recall through the throbbing in his skull that they were Grey Warden recruits brought by a human named Duncan who was friends with the Hahren.

"Nesiara!" Darrian forced himself up, eyes wide and angry, "Shianni! Where are the girls?!"

"Vaughn took them." The human Warden recruit scowled as he helped the dwarf to her feet, any blood on her head getting lost in the red of her hair. "Serada threatened to conscript him into the wardens if he didn't lose the attitude and leave. His response was bottling her without any warning."

"I'm going to gut that son of a bitch like a maker damned pig!" Darrian snarled, not caring if anyone heard him anymore.

"Good." The human gave him a dangerous grin, "One of the other elves said they could sneak us over to a servant's entrance into the Arl's estate. I also borrowed some of Duncan's weapons for you to use." They tossed him a bundle containing a quiver, a bow, and a dagger.

"You're…willing to help?" Darrian was confused on why a human would help an elf do anything, let alone help kill a human noble.

"I've always hated that little shit." The human spat in the dirt, "And I'm not feeling too charitable to nobles who abuse their power right now. Serada isn't either if im not mistaken."

"No, this is going to feel good." The dwarf cracked her knuckles.

"Soris," Darrian turned to his cousin "go check on the others. Make sure everyone here is alright and get ready to treat the girls when we get back."

"A-are you sure?" Soris attempted a subtle glance at the two warden recruits, easily showing his trepidation.

"Hahren Valendrian trusts the wardens and I trust him." Darrian easily strung the bow, "Now let's move!" the two others quickly moved with him as they grabbed his fellow alienage resident who guided him the through the back roads that let the elven servants stay out of sight from the nobles who would prefer not to lay eyes on them. "Why are you two so eager to kill a noble?" he asked quietly as they moved through the shadows, wanting to understand the reasons this group had to fight.

"…My godfather was a noble, he betrayed my family to take our places and slaughtered them all. My brother down at Ostagar and I are the only ones left alive of our family line." The human explained, clenching his fist tightly.

"My younger brother framed me for the murder of our elder brother to get political power." Serada the dwarf grunted.

"Your brother? Godfather?" Darrian wondered who these people were in the grand scheme of things.

"My brother is Bhelen Aeducan, now next in line to become King of the Dwarves." Serada explained, glancing at the human who straightened.

"I am Aeden Cousland, son of the Teryn of Highever, betrayed by Arl Rendon Howe." The now named Aeden explained.

"So Vaughn isn't anything new." Darrian scowled at hearing that the local swine was the norm and not the exception to the rule.

"Sadly not." Aeden sighed only for their guide to shush them, the Arl's estate close and so the risk of running into patrols was higher now.

After several tense minutes of walking, their guide opened a gate, "Alright, go left and you'll find a door inside just past the gardens. There should only be one guard inside and he's usually asleep."

"Take this, get back and stay safe." Aeden nodded, pressing a gold sovereign into the stunned elf's palm. Nodding to the warden recruits, and only vaguely noting his neighbor running back to the Alienage, the trio entered the grounds of the Arl's estate. The growling was instant as a trio of Mabari started charging at them, eyes wide and glaring. Before Aeden or Serada could move to attack, Darrian held out his hand, focusing as the creatures slowed to a stop, panting at him happily, their stubby tails wiggling.

"What the?" Serada was gaping in confusion while Aeden was studying him intently.

"That hair…your eyes…you're fade touched, aren't you?" the educated noble looked stunned as Darrian nodded.

"The Hahren explained it to me when I was a child, that it happens on rare occasions. Mine gives me some useful abilities when it comes to animals." Smirking, Darrian held out a finger to prove his point as a bird flew down and chirped once before going back to a tree.

"What's going on here?!" a guard rounded the corner only to go down screaming as the three Mabari attacked him, bringing the man down and ending him.

"Alright, we can't just stand around, let's keep moving." Aeden pointed his axe, "Your friend said the door was that way. Neither Darrian nor Serada argued as they sped up, the dogs hurrying to catch up after ending the guardsman.

The guard at the door wasn't asleep like they were told was likely but was fully awake and smirking, "Lord Vaughn said one of you knife ears might try something. I'm going to enjoy-" the bastard's diatribe was cut off by an arrow through the eye thanks to the bow Darrian had been loaned. And so they continued, cutting down every guard they came across, elven servants helping by knifing their 'masters' in the back at the first opportunity. As they went, the trio looted everything they could. Weapons, armor, coin it didn't matter, so long as they could fit it in their enchanted packs.

Entering into another hall, they found a trio of guards kneeling over the corpse of Nola. "Shame we had to kill her, quite a nice body on this one." One of the guards with bloodied blades grumbles as they look down at her corpse.

"She's still warm, how picky are you?" one of the other ones asks as the three chuckle. Those laughs didn't last long as an arrow went through the jugular of the first one who went down, choking on his own blood. The second one hurried to raise a shield only for the arrow in question to be for his greatsword wielding companion. Darrian felt rage, pure and burning as he stalked towards the vile twisted bastard who had killed his friend.

"Please!" the guard pleaded, tears and snot running as Darrian could smell the man had soiled himself at the sight of his friends killed so easily and the man stuck with three angry and armed strangers, "Mercy!"

"You want Mercy?!" Darian seethed, gripping the bow so tightly he was almost surprised the wood didn't shatter in his grip, "Take your sword and kill yourself if you want mercy!" the man, weak with fear, began to raise his sword but Darrian soon noted that his eyes were wide with horror directed at his own arm, the blade moving away from Darian. A moment later the guard let out a choked gurgle as he stabbed himself with his own blade.

"I thought you could only affect animals." Aeden looked dispassionately at the man on the ground bleeding gout.

"I…I thought so too." Darrian looked stunned as his hands for a moment before the final gurgle from the last guardsman shook him out of it. "Come on, we still need to find the girls."

"They should be this way." Serada points to a hallway "My stone sense isn't as good as it would be in a cave but this whole place is made of rock, it's enough to get by." That was all Darrian needed to hear as the group sped up, wanting to save as many of the girls as he still could. At the end of all the hallways, the trio found Vaughn and his lackies, all laughing over Shianni who lay sobbing on the ground, her wedding clothes ripped and torn.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Vaughn rose and began to turn at the sound of them entering only to freeze eyes wide when he actually took in their appearance.

"Don't worry lord Vaugh, we'll make short work of these three." An overdressed fool with a stupid pencil mustache laughed, his bearded compatriot letting out a dumb chuckle.

"Quiet you idiots! They're covered in enough blood to fill a tub. What do you think that means?" Vaugh was afraid and it showed.

"Not quite a tub." Darrian snarled, the Mabari he had enthralled growling menacingly at their former master "I think yours will be just enough to top it off though."

"All right, all right now! Let's not be too hasty here. Surely we can talk this over," Vaugh was backing up with his hands held out placatingly "I'm sure you three are amenable to a…deal of sorts."

"Please," Shianni interrupted Vaugh sobbing "get me out of here. I want to go home!"

"Think for a minute! Kill me and you'll ruin more lives than just your own. Why by dawn everyone will be wanting to let the streets run red with the blood of the knife ea- I mean 'elves' who murdered their beloved lord. Or we could talk things through. I have a chest in my quarters with plenty of gold. Leave the girls and walk away and you can have it as a reasonable compensation for all your troubles."

"Never!" Darrian snarled, the Mabari barking angrily. At his side, Serada held out her hand as a shock wave actually struck the trio of lords, one of them with a bow still getting off an arrow which Darrian saw hit Aeden. Drawing his knife, Darrian ran over faster than the lazy lords could react, their unprotected throats cut as blood began to pool.

"The others are in here." Serada walked over to a second door that had a grate over it and frowned before with a gesture of her arm, the stone around the door came loose, letting the wooden barrier fall to the ground with a crash. The elven girls ran over to Darrian and Shianni, Nesiara first among them as Darrian let out a sigh of relief at seeing her. Unlike most who elves from the alienages who didn't meet their spouse until the day of the wedding, Darrien had been able to spend the last couple years trading letters with her and they had even grown to care for one another before she came to Denerim.

"Thank you both for your help." Darrien turned to the warden recruits only to notice the dwarf tapping her foot and glaring at a confused human who didn't seem to notice the arrow sticking out of his side. "Sweet Maker man!"

"What?" Aeden looked down, "Oh damn it all, not again." Without even a wince of pain, the Cousland heir ripped out the arrow and pinched the hole shut. What the hell kind of madness had Darian found himself in now?

**AN: So yeah, those are the three wardens recruited for the story. I wanted to pick the ones i felt could make some of the biggest changes for Ferelden and beyond without using too many of the PC wardens. Do I love the other ones? Of course I do, Warden Amell is one of my favorites, but I wanted to stick to just three as I have plans for how each affects the future. I also wanted each to have something uniquely awesome about them so their 'mage' is the dwarven mage like we saw in the descent who seem to have force powers along with being able to shape the earth. The rogue is an elf who's fade touched with jedi mind trick style powers to make him the ultimate ranger. And the warrior literally can't feel pain. This is gonna be fun. **


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